General News
Cost of Broadband to Crash in 2014-Aladekomo
Benjamin Ademola Aladekomo is immediate past president, Nigeria Computer Society (NCS); and group managing director, Chams Plc: a company he established immediately after his MBA program in 1985 with next to nothing, in terms of finance.
Chams pioneered and currently dominates Identification and payment technologies for governments, financial institutions and corporate Nigeria and owns famous Digital Mall: biggest ID/Payment Card personalization plant in the world. It produced the first successful one million national ID cards where foreign companies and multinationals have failed over decades.
His company also produced 70 million voters ID cards for INEC and created the largest database towards solving the country’s election Voter ID database.
Aladekomo, spoke to peter ugwu on national IT related programmes and sundry issues.
Driving Force behind Chams Plc
What has been driving us is our faith in God; believe in ourselves and our country. Our vision calls from that and our core value “Faith in God”.
Chams become a household name in computer hardware and maintenance services. The company went through the processes of networking, identification, systems repairs; and today it is highly regarded in identity management and payment systems.
We service practically all the sectors of the economy and we have a lot of companies passing through us.
Like we have always maintained, our envisioned future depends on being extremely influential and highly visible in global technology as our trusted cutting edge technology will enhance the quality of lives in a manner that glorifies God.
Cards and e-Payments Campaign
Long before CBN started, we have been campaigning for the use of PoS terminals and other electronic devices in transacting businesses.
Chams was the first company to deploy about 2, 000 PoS terminals as way back as 2002-3.
We were the first to have a large concentration of cards production; bring in kiosks into the market; and in several areas.
In terms of identity management, we are the leading indigenous company in Nigeria.
Even in e-Commerce, we have tried to stabilize our stand in that area.
Value card added platform was done by the Chams and deployed to the banks for use.
They are quite a lot we have done in popularizing e-commerce and e-payment in the country. The first call fund transfer company was formed and implemented by Chams. The first ATM in Nigeria was printed Chams.
Is Government doing enough in E-Payment?
I believe the government is doing its very best in formulating policies and implementing them, especially from the CBN’s perspective.
They have done a great job by coming up with policies that will reduce the volume of cash and improve on the way business is done in the country.
Although someone may ask, is that the best they can do; possibly not. We should not forget that they are leapfrogging; jumping several levels of technology, and is not easy to implement.
One thing about Nigerians is that we are a nation in a hurry. We want a policy introduced today to meet 100% request the same day.
For us in Chams Plc we do not expect a miracle to happen overnight. Nations are built to last for centuries, likewise companies.
Policies should be there to last for a while before they are changed. If you assess the cashless policy from that perspective it cannot cover the whole country from day one, not all devices will work form that date, not all the ATMs, cards, PoS will work at kick off period, but if you stay at it, keep a healthy perception, attitude towards the events they will determine how far you can reach. With the right attitude towards the scheme it is going to succeed.
Cashless Policy Succeeding
We have improved dramatically in the number of ATMs, Cards, PoS terminals and volume of transaction.
I can authoritatively tell you that before the cashless economy started we had about 20,000 PoS terminals.
Currently, we have more than 170,000. And that is the kind of percentage increase; if you look at the volume of transactions by e-channels, they have increased by 100%. Mobile banking has also received a boost; likewise the e-commerce is becoming a germane on its own.
Challenges with the Implementation
The basic challenge is communication-broadband access or universal access; yes, voice communication is stabilizing now, but data communication is not doing very well.
And that has affected the cashless programme in the sense that a lot of PoS machines are not working as expected.
In any case, we have witnessed tremendous changes in all the areas. Also, a lot of people are not using the channels like the PoS, what I said earlier about technologies coming to particular environment is that literacy, affordability and need should be considered.
If you take the issue of literacy and need, a fruit seller along the road may not see the need or benefit. So, cashless or no cashless at the level, the need is not there, the volume of trade is still is quite low. If we look at Cards users, banks customers across the country are about 45 million.
Minus that from 160 million, the rest are without cards. That is basically the issue and reason the PoS terminals will take some years to become permissive.
Literacy, I must highlight is in two levels. There is literacy in terms of communication to (educating or informing) the people, that they can adopt PoS even for a business that involves N20. But that means the operators have to reduce the charges.
Other hand, there is literacy that involves people going to school, studying and becoming educated. The processes will take time, but we shall get there as a nation.
And technology adoption also take a while, like the ATM, it took a while for people to buy into it. Now a lot of people are comfortable with it. But the number is still far-fetched as regards people with bank accounts.
As a Member of the National Broadband Committee
The Committee was inaugurated recently and the terms of references are to lead in the measure to deploy broadband to all the nooks and crannies of the country.
The Committee will first ensure we have backbones to facilitate the implementation; by getting Right of Way (RoW), the incentives from government to aid the operators, and reliefs, invite investors as well.
When those things are done combined with patronage and support to investors, the next step would be massive literacy campaign for the usage.
There will be road-shows to all the states in the country. There will be communication to corporate bodies, private sector, and anybody that needs to embrace the technology.
In saying this, I must commend the Mrs. Omobola Johnson, minister of Communication Technology for all the work that she is doing, especially in the area of broadband policy.
Estimating That Penetration Would Crash Prices
We have close to 10000 terabyte of bandwidth at the shores of Lagos, out of which 10% has been distributed.
There are lots being implemented now. With this committee coming up, the processes are going to be accelerated.
I see that towards the end of 2014, there would have been substantial broadband penetration into the rest of the country; where some State capitals would have major bandwidth delivered to them to the extent it will affect the price.
Meanwhile, I cannot bet that it will get to the rural dweller, who may not have the need for it. The most important thing is to spot out the need and affordability.
Because of the huge bandwidth coming I see prices crash in 2014 affecting the voice tariffs also. In 2014, we are going to witness enormous crash of those tariffs.
From 2015 we are going to be seeing a lot of hotspots that will even be free in certain areas. These are as result of the implementation of the national broadband plan.
I like sharing the progression: two-three years back when you go to some hotels, just a handful of then had access to data communications.
And how many offices had access to it? Now it is becoming more democratized. Also, in the past for you to have access you need a big modem to get connected, but now it is becoming more wide spread.
The broadband council is now focusing connecting all major cities in the country targeting 2015. The plan includes the 774 local governments’ headquarters.
Once you have gotten to that level, it implied that the 1000 terabytes would have been deployed. So, as supply outweighs the demand, the prices will crash.
Financing the Deployment
Mainly, 91% funding of the project will come from the private sector, while the government provides the rest.
And the government has started working by developing a National Integrated Projects Master plan. Making broadband available is one of the objects driving the plan.
Foreign Direct Investments (FDIs) or Locally Driven
Most FDIs have local counterparts and funding. Nobody brings 100% funds into a country. They may invest as high as 80%, but the local complement must be there. The local investors have the first right of refusal; they are the ones preparing the policies, know the pulses. For instance, the telecos in Nigeria have Nigerians as their chairmen, meaning they are investors in the business. So, they are going to benefit.
Criticism of FG’s Decision to Involve MasterCard in the National ID Scheme
I must say that Chams Plc is fully involved with the National ID project. We have a company called Chams Consortium Limited; one of the two potent parties in the project.
The Consortium is made up of three companies that came together to implement the scheme. However, Chams Plc is the technical operator within the consortium, providing 95% of the technologies used by the group for the project.
Our functions range from enrollment, cards personalization, payments and verification services.
These are called potent services. We have the back up where the data are kept.
In 21 States of Nigeria, Chams Plc will be doing enrollment. 50% of the Cards will be issues by Chams consortium.
The payment mechanism on the cards will also be operated by Chams Plc.
With regards to federal government’s partnership with the MasterCard, which several people have criticized, we do not believe such agreement would have been signed.
MasterCard signed an agreement with Chams, we took them to the federal government and government went and signed another agreement with them.
That is called tautology; it is uncalled for. We already have the concession agreement signed between us and the federal government and between us and MasterCard.
We do not know what the agreement between the federal government and MasterCard is all about.
We are going ahead to deploy as designed by us and accepted by the Government. Our design is what the government is implementing.
I have a feeling that the government because they have a problem with the first consortium they want to become potent processor themselves.
Government has no business in business. We should use PPP to fund national infrastructure restoration.
Look at the beautiful thing happening among the telcos; where is NITEL? Now the government wants to toe the line of NITEL.
They should leave the national ID to the private sector to implement, while playing supervisory role.
NLNG and the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) have commenced the construction of a research and innovation centre at Rivers State University, aimed at strengthening indigenous capacity in computer and electrical engineering.
The NLNG Research and Innovation Centre for Computer and Electrical Engineering (RICCEE), which was inaugurated yesterday, is the company’s largest Human Capital Development Institutional Strengthening project to date.
The centre is expected to provide specialised training, advanced research facilities and technological solutions for challenges in Nigeria’s energy and industrial sectors.
It will also house a professorial chair and operate as a research and development centre where industry-focused solutions, particularly for NLNG, can be developed and potentially commercialised.
Speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony, NLNG’s Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Adeleye Falade, described the project as a strategic investment in the country’s future and evidence of the company’s commitment to sustainable human capital development.
Falade, who was represented by NLNG’s General Manager, External Relations and Sustainable Development, Sophia Horsfall, said the facility would improve the university’s ability to produce highly skilled professionals while ensuring that research responds to industry needs.
He said the centre would also help bridge the gap between academic knowledge and practical industry requirements by creating opportunities for researchers and professionals to work together on innovations with commercial and developmental value.
Felix Omatsola Ogbe, the Executive Secretary of NCDMB, represented by the Director, Capacity Building, Abayomi Bamidele, said the project marked an important step in advancing the Board’s Human Capital Development objectives.
According to him, the centre is part of the Board’s Institutional Strengthening Programme, which seeks to build lasting partnerships with higher institutions through infrastructure that supports teaching, research, innovation and practical skills development.
Ogbe challenged the centre to emerge as a hub for discovery, creativity and technological advancement, where students can develop innovative ideas, researchers tackle real-world problems and industry can find reliable research and development partners.
The Vice-Chancellor of Rivers State University, Prof. Isaac Zeb-Obipi, said the project aligned with the institution’s 2026–2030 strategic plan, particularly its focus on research collaboration, innovation and entrepreneurship.
“We envisage the Centre as a world-class hub where researchers and students can develop practical solutions to engineering and technological challenges, where university-industry collaboration can flourish, and where innovative ideas can be transformed into useful products, technologies and services,” he said.
The centre will occupy about 9,336 square metres within the university and include specialised laboratories for electronics and signal processing, robotics and embedded systems, software engineering, and digital forensics and cybersecurity.
The facility will also feature solar energy provisions, energy-efficient lighting and other environmentally responsible systems designed to reduce operating costs and support reliable research activities.
RICCEE is one of NCDMB’s Institutional Strengthening Projects designed to improve learning institutions through modern infrastructure, research facilities, technical equipment and training aligned with industry needs.
General News
NITDA Seals Strategic Deals with Goose FL and Fireflies AI to Power $1 Trillion Digital Economy Vision
In a significant step toward expanding Nigeria’s tech footprint on the global stage, the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has signed strategic Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with Canadian tech companies Goose FL and Fireflies AI.
The signings took place during the Nigeria–Canada Investment Forum and the Nigeria Investment Economic Conference in Toronto, Canada, witnessed by NITDA’s Director-General, Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi.
The strategic partnership centers on three core pillars designed to accelerate the nation’s digital roadmap:
- Expanding Financial Inclusion: Developing innovative technology solutions to broaden access to digital financial services and create sustainable economic opportunities for underserved communities.
- Deploying Local AI Infrastructure: Establishing indigenous Artificial Intelligence infrastructure and services to strengthen Nigeria’s internal capacity to build, manage, and benefit from AI technologies locally.
- Building a Stronger Digital Economy: Driving long-term economic growth through strategic global partnerships, technology transfer, innovation, and digital capacity development.
This international collaboration directly aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s vision to grow Nigeria into a $1 trillion economy by 2030, anchored by innovation, digital technology, and human capital development.
By forging key global ties, NITDA continues to position Nigeria as a rising leader in the digital economy, ensuring that emerging tools like AI deliver real, tangible value for local citizens and businesses.
Anambra State Government says it is exploring partnerships with the Federal Government and other stakeholders to extend digital connectivity to underserved rural communities across the state.
The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Anambra State ICT Agency, Mr Chukwuemeka Fred Agbata, disclosed this during a virtual media engagement with journalists on Thursday.
Agbata said rural connectivity remained a major challenge because telecommunications operators were often reluctant to invest heavily in communities where network deployment might not be commercially viable.
He said the state was willing to explore opportunities to leverage Federal Government infrastructure and the Universal Service Provision Fund (USPF) to extend connectivity to underserved communities.
“We understand what digital inclusion means because we are dealing directly with these communities,” Agbata said.
According to him, the objective is to ensure that rural residents are not excluded from the benefits of digital government and the wider digital economy simply because of where they live.
Agbata said the effort formed part of the state’s broader digital transformation agenda, which is targeting deeper digitalisation of government services and a more digitally enabled business environment by 2030.
He said the second phase of the agency’s digital transformation agenda would focus on e-governance, digital infrastructure, smart government and the use of emerging technologies to drive development.
“My core vision is that we would have digitised every single government entity in Anambra State,” he said.
The ICT boss said the digital transformation agenda would extend beyond government ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) to businesses and residents across the state.
He said the agency was already developing websites for government MDAs and transforming them from mere information platforms into channels for delivering government services.
“We are building websites for all the MDAs. We are also automating them to be able to carry out services and give government support and government services through their websites,” he said.
Agbata said the initiative would reduce the need for citizens to physically visit government offices to access basic services.
He said the Smart Anambra platform had already demonstrated growing demand for remote access to government services.
According to him, the platform recorded about 14,000 visits between July 9 and July 29, averaging approximately 700 visits daily, despite limited publicity.
He said the data indicated that residents were interested in accessing government services online, including applications, permits and identification-related processes.
“What the data is already showing us is that we really need to build a system that allows people to actually get government services remotely,” Agbata said.
He explained that the objective was to allow residents to initiate processes online, complete forms remotely and only visit government offices where physical presence was eventually required.
This, he said, would reduce the time and cost citizens spend travelling to Awka or other government offices to access services.
Agbata said services in areas including hospitals, schools and other government processes were being connected to Smart Anambra.
Anambra Targets 2030 for Digital Government
Agbata said the state’s 2030 target was to deepen the digitalisation of government services and create an environment where businesses could increasingly operate within the formal digital economy.
He said the agency was working with the Ministry of Commerce to promote the formalisation of businesses, particularly SMEs and businesses operating in major markets.
“One of the biggest challenges that we have is that SMEs are not formalised enough,” he said, adding that the agency was exploring partnerships to address the challenge.
The ICT agency boss said the transformation would be gradual because major government initiatives required the necessary approvals and resources.
On the possibility of making Anambra completely paperless, Agbata disclosed that the State Executive Council was already operating a paperless system.
He, however, said the entire civil service might continue to operate a combination of digital and paper-based processes for some time because of the complexity of government operations.
“What might happen is a dual situation,” he said, adding that selected MDAs could be used as pilots for deeper digital transformation.
Agbata also disclosed that the Anambra State ICT Agency had commenced the deployment of a locally trained artificial intelligence (AI) system to automate its operations and explore applications in governance, revenue management and public-sector productivity.
He explained that the agency did not develop a frontier large language model from scratch because of the huge computing and financial resources required.
Instead, he said, it adopted an open-source model, modified it and was training it for specific local use cases.
“We have started doing our own local AI system. It is an open-source system, so we didn’t build our own frontier model. We basically looked at open source and modified it, and we are training it,” Agbata said.
He said the system had already been deployed to automate the agency’s operations end-to-end.
“We have used it to automate our agency end-to-end. Everything that we do now is currently automated,” he said.
Agbata said the agency was exploring how the model could be applied across other areas of government to improve productivity, address revenue leakages and strengthen governance.
He said the AI initiative formed a major part of what he described as the agency’s “2.0” phase following his reappointment by Gov. Chukwuma Soludo.
According to him, the second phase would build on achievements in infrastructure, capacity development, e-governance and smart government while placing greater emphasis on AI and emerging technologies.
Agbata also said the state’s free public Wi-Fi initiative remained operational, stressing that the programme was introduced before the electioneering period.
“The free Wi-Fi didn’t start as a political thing, a campaign thing. It started way before the campaigns,” he said.
He explained that the strategy was adjusted during the campaigns to enable residents to follow the governor’s activities and participate in live engagements while on the move.
According to him, existing Wi-Fi locations, including facilities at the state Secretariat, remain operational, although occasional downtime occurs, particularly during periods of adverse weather.
“There are downtimes now and then because with the rains and all of that, these things have their uptime and their downtimes, but it is still very much available,” he said.
He disclosed that there were currently no plans to establish additional Wi-Fi locations, noting that existing sites were still providing services.
Agbata said the state would continue to develop digital skills and education programmes, including Smart Schools and other capacity-development initiatives.
He also called for stronger collaboration among government, technology companies, telecommunications operators, local technology manufacturers and other stakeholders to accelerate the state’s digital transformation.
He cited the procurement of about 2,000 computers supplied by indigenous technology company, Zinox, as an example of the state’s engagement with local technology providers.
Agbata said the agency would remain open to partnerships capable of supporting Anambra’s technology agenda.
He said the ultimate objective was to build an Anambra where residents and businesses could increasingly interact with government digitally, while technology becomes a central driver of economic development across the state.
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